150th_Supplement

Newbury Weekly News

Thursday, 2 March, 2017

2008: Red letter day for phone giant

20 November 2008 DELIGHTED Vodafone

employees saw the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh last Friday when they paid a Royal Visit to the company’s world Headquarters in Newbury. The Royal couple were there to see the physical and human impact of the unprecedented flooding in July last year, and how the company’s Shaw campus has since been restored. The royal couple were greeted on arrival by Sir John Bond, chairman of Vodafone Group, chief executive Vittorio Colao and community dignitaries, including the mayor of Newbury, Phil Barnett, Newbury MP Richard Benyon and the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, the Hon Mary Bayliss. They were then introduced to the life president of Vodafone, Sir Ernest Harrison, who received the first mobile phone call in 1985, and to the current chief executive of Vodafone UK, Guy Laurence. After viewing a brief history of the mobile phone, The Queen and Prince Philip then met employees of the company personally affected by the floods, and spoke to them about their experiences. The property relationship manager for Vodafone UK, Ed Large, said: “It was an absolute pleasure for me to meet the Queen and I feel very privileged. She talked to me about the flood recovery and seemed very interested.” Music was played for the royal visitors by pupils from Trinity School, which neighbours the campus. Trinity’s headteacher Deborah Forster was among the community guests introduced to

The Queen chats to Emma Jenkins as she met staff involved with V odafone Foundation and the‘World of Difference ’ winners

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh arrive at V odafone’s HQ

Council chief executive Nick Carter, Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Sara Thornton and editorial director of the Newbury Weekly News Group Brien Beharrell. After a four-course lunch for 120 guests, which included Vodafone staff ranging from trainee to executive level, together with Newbury community representatives, the Queen witnessed a video link-up between Vodafone employees in Newbury and Mumbai, India, and learned of Vodafone’s developments in social networking and was shown the M-PESA money-transfer service. The Duke of Edinburgh officially unveiled a plaque to open the fitness and well-being centre, which has been restored since it was badly damaged in the floods. He was also shown examples of

clearly excited to catch a glimpse of the Queen, lining pathways inside and outside the buildings with their phones and cameras at the ready, waiting to capture the moment. The team secretary for the Vodafone Group’s fraud, risk and security team, Alex Russell, aged 24, said: “It’s great to see the Queen and everyone has been very excited in anticipation of this visit.” Her colleague, Jackie Aley, said that she felt honoured to have seen the Queen. “For the Queen to be showing an interest in Vodafone helps put us on the map and is amazing for the company,” she said. “This is a normal working day, but we are working around her visit as this is a once-in-a-life- time opportunity for us.”

future mobile internet technol- ogy by Vodafone’s research and development teams, including the development in widgets. The Queen then activated the Vodafone Foundation’s ‘World of Difference’ mural and Sir John unveiled a bronze statue of Generous , the 1991 winner of the Epsom Derby. The royal party then signed the visitors’ book, before departing. Newbury’s mayor, Phil Barnett, said: “This has been a wonderful occasion for Newbury, great for Vodafone and great for the county of Berkshire. “It has been an excellent opportunity for people to see their sovereign and for Vodafone’s employees to be recognised for their work around the world.” Vodafone’s 3,000 staff were

Edwards, neighbour and landowner Genevieve Mather, of Shawdene, the chairman of West

the Queen and Prince Philip, together with the High Sheriff of Berkshire Carolyn Boulter, chairman of Shaw-cum- Donnington Parish Council John

Berkshire Council Keith Chopping, West Berkshire

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